Letters: May 23/13

Paul Isaacs | May 22, 2013

Re: Scott Reid asks, "What do YOU think?"

It appears from the above question that Mr. Reid believes that his constituents can think. He then goes on to ask for a response to the following questions:

Yes! Dangerous offenders should stay locked up.

No! Dangerous offenders should be reformed and released quickly.

These questions are clearly designed for people who do not think at all. The available evidence, therefore, indicates that, in fact, Mr. Reid does not believe that his constituents can think.

Worse yet, the questions have dropped all reference to the fact that the "dangerous offenders" that Mr. Reid is referring to are people who have the extreme misfortune to be mentally ill. How sad and depressing it is to see that Mr. Reid seems to want his constituents to believe that being locked up is the "solution" to mental illness.

The "Harper Government", and its faithful foot-soldier, Mr. Reid, seem to believe that the universal solution to every problem is punishment. Each and every one of Mr. Reid's "Keeping in Touch" missives is about punishment for some transgression or another. The use of people afflicted by mental illness to further this agenda is disgusting and unworthy of both a Canadian government and a member of parliament.

As crass and repulsive as I find the "Harper Government" to be, I understand only too well that it is not suicidal. Mr. Reid's "Keeping in Touch" efforts are only produced after polling and "focus" groups have indicated that they will be effective - and that is truly depressing.

How and when and why did it happen that Canadians descended to the level of being in favour of witch hunts? Whatever has happened to us? Proud to be Canadian? Once upon a time I was.

Paul Isaacs